1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to inhibiting the growth of bacteria in various industrial environments. More particularly, the present invention relates to an improved microbiocidal composition and its method of use. Still more particularly, the present invention relates to a synergistic microbiocidal composition, and its method of use, the composition comprising a combination of (1) an N-alkyldimethylbenzyl ammonium halide, or (2) a polycondensation product of acrolein and formaldehyde, and (3) a bicyclic polyoxymethyleneoxazolidine.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The presence of organic materials in the manufacture and/or use of various aqueous systems such as latices, adhesives, paints, coatings, mineral slurries and the like renders them susceptible to deterioration by virtue of exposure to bacteria and other microorganisms existing in the particular environment. It is, therefore, a conventional practice to seek to inhibit the microbial deterioration of such systems by incorporating therein any of various materials or combinations of materials that are characterized by having antibacterial activity.
Numerous materials have been found to possess such antibacterial activity. For instance, various quaternary ammonium salts having this activity are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,479,820; various acrolein/formaldehyde polycondensation products are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,501,668; and various polyoxymethyleneoxazolidines are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,135,945. In addition, U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,231,509 and 4,173,643 disclose microbiocidal synergistic combinations comprising quaternary ammonium salts with respectively, bis(halomethyl)sulfones and 4-isothiazolin-3-ones.